ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: The Chaudhrys of Gujrat, having dominated the political arena in general elections 2002, also outnumbered various political families who have made it to the national and provincial assemblies.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, two sons of late Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, have been elected to the National Assembly from two Gujrat constituencies, NA-105 and NA- 104, respectively.

Their niece, Eman Naseem, daughter of Maj Tahir Sadiq (retired), Nazim of Attock District, has also won elections on general seats from NA-59.

Tanzeela Aamir Cheema, who has been elected to the National Assembly on women reserved seat, is daughter of Chaudhry Tajammal Hussain, first cousin of Chaudhry Shujaat.

She is also daughter-in-law of Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheema, another member of National Assembly from Sargodha District (NA- 67) and wife of Anwar Sultan Cheema, who has also been elected member of Punjab Assembly.

It may also be added here that Chaudhry Shufaat Hussain, younger brother of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, was Nazim of Gujrat District and his cousin, Chaudhry Pervaz Elahi, has become chief minister of Punjab.

The second family which has strongly emerged on the political scene after the general elections hails from Dera Ghazi Khan, headed by Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari, former president of Pakistan.

Sardar Farooq and his son Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari were elected from NA-172 and NA-173, respectively, and Sardar Farooq’s first cousin, Sardar Mohammad Jaffar Khan Leghari, won elections from NA-174 under the banner of the National Alliance.

Similarly, Meena Ehsan Leghari, wife of Sardar Jaffar, and Ayla Malik, niece of Sardar Farooq Leghari, have been accommodated on women reserved seats.

Whereas, Sumaira Malik, sister of Ayla Malik, has won elections from NA-69 from the platform of National alliance.

It is worth mentioning here that the wife of Farooq Leghari belongs to the family of Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, who is also a member of National Assembly and federal minister for water and power.

Sikandar Sherpao, son of Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, is member of the NWFP assembly, and has also been an aspirant for the top slot in the province. Gohar Ayub, son of late Gen Ayub Khan and former speaker of National Assembly, who was out of the elections contest due to educational qualification condition, helped his spouse and son win National Assembly seats.

His son, Omar Ayub Khan, has won election from NA-19 on PML- Q’s ticket. Similarly, Gohar Ayub’s wife, Zeb Gohar, has been elected member of the National Assembly on a reserved seat for women.

It may be mentioned here that Mr Ayub, said to have passed his graduation recently, is likely to get a ticket for the upcoming senate’s election.

Col Ghulam Serwar Cheema (retired), another central leader of the PML-Q and an aspirant for Senate’s ticket, had his daughter, Dr Saira Tariq, elected to the National Assembly on women reserved seats.

Similarly, Mohammad Azeem Chaudhry, organizing secretary of the PLM-Q, who is also contesting senate elections, had his wife, Asiya Azeem, elected to the National Assembly on the reserved seats for women.

Likewise, Rahila Yahya, member of National Assembly on women reserved seats, is wife of Yahya Munnawar, political secretary to Prime Minister Jamali.

Makhdoom Mohammad Javaid Hashmi, acting president of the PML-N, who won the election to the National Assembly from NA-123, also had his wife, Maimona Hashmi, elected as member of the parliament on women reserved seats.

Similarly, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami, who had also won on two National Assembly seats from the platform of Muttahida Majlis-i-Ammal, got his daughter, Samia Raheel Qazi, elected on women reserved seats as member of National Assembly.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief and general secretary of MMA, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, also a winner of two National Assembly seats, has three sisters-in-law elected to national and provincial assemblies. Shahida Akhtar Ali and Nayyer Sultana are members of the National Assembly, and Rehana Ismail is member of NWFP assembly on women reserved seats.